Speaking of the First Amendment: Chicago Tribune Sees Lifeline for Low-Income Children in Educational Choice for Children Act

Protect The 1st has followed the long, sorrowful saga of the Illinois Invest in Kids scholarship program, a lifeline for very low-income families to escape failing and dangerous public schools with scholarships to quality private schools.

This 75 percent tax credit served kids whose families were below 300 percent of the poverty level. When the public teachers union flexed its muscle, however, Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) and state lawmakers bowed to the union’s raw political power and let the program die.

The Chicago Tribune writes: “Now these kids have reason to hope.”

What is that hope? The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), which passed the House and is now a part of the reconciliation bill before the Senate. The ECCA would provide $5 billion a year in tax credits for donations to scholarship-granting organizations for disadvantaged students nationwide to attend quality private schools.

The Tribune writes:

“Opponents of school choice believe that education is a zero-sum game, and that private schools are a threat to the public system. We believe the opposite – that a thriving private and charter system and a strong traditional public system create an educational ecosystem that can serve everyone’s needs. There are things private schools can do that public ones can’t, and the same is very much true in reverse.

“School choice remains popular in Illinois, with a clear majority of residents supporting the concept. More importantly, choice introduces accountability into a system that, for decades, has faced little real competition. When parents have options, schools must respond – whether by improving curriculum, addressing student behavior issues more effectively, or offering stronger support for struggling learners.”

The Tribune concludes:

“Springfield has moved on from the thousands of low-income students it left behind a year and a half ago. Now, the ECCA is their best shot. We hope that the Senate passes a version of the reconciliation bill that includes this program.”

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